Sky Pilot Posted July 16, 2015 Share Posted July 16, 2015 Were there ever any HF Mk IXbs ? I've seen a number of references to such a/c which, from the information given, are shown, on the production site, as Mk IXbs of which there weren't many. Might there be any problems converting an Eduard Mk IXc wing to a IXb ? Comments and advice will be appreciated. Cheers John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark12 Posted July 16, 2015 Share Posted July 16, 2015 (edited) Mk IX or Mk IXe, yes, but there was no Mk IXb or Mk IXc. Show me this designation anywhere on official paperwork, spare parts manuals, pilots notes, AP's etc. Mk IX wings made with leading edge skins and 'chimney pots' from Mk Vb and Vc source, yes, but that does not make them a IXb or IXc...just a Mk IX. ...and when the IXe was introduced the official designation became 'early Mk IX'. PeterA Edited July 17, 2015 by Mark12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidelvy Posted July 16, 2015 Share Posted July 16, 2015 If I recall correctly IXb was an unofficial designation for the LF IX. As such the "b" suffix reflected the type of engine fitted as opposed to the wing or armament. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biggles87 Posted July 17, 2015 Share Posted July 17, 2015 Has anyone actually had their hands on the Pavla 1/32 Spitfire metal seat? I have my doubts about it's accuracy, from the photos I've seen, it seems taller than the plastic seat and has a slot in the right hand side which does not appear in the photo which Edgar kindly posted. Any comments John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sky Pilot Posted July 17, 2015 Share Posted July 17, 2015 Were there ever any HF Mk IXbs ? I've seen a number of references to such a/c which, from the information given, are shown, on the production site, as Mk IXbs of which there weren't many. Might there be any problems converting an Eduard Mk IXc wing to a IXb ? Many thanks for the replies to the above. Actually the reason for my question was my doubts about the existence of the said a/c types. I had found a reference, on an IPMS site) to an HF IXb (MH434) which on the production pages proved to be an LF IX - I did find a couple of LF IXb references in these pages (obviously errors) (MK632 and Mk415). I also found a number of sites containing references to LF IXbs which turned out to be LF IXs probably as a result of LF IXs being unofficially known as IXbs. Another one bites the dust Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Troy Smith Posted July 17, 2015 Share Posted July 17, 2015 On 17/07/2015 at 22:07, Sky Pilot said: Many thanks for the replies to the above. Actually the reason for my question was my doubts about the existence of the said a/c types. I had found a reference, on an IPMS site) to an HF IXb (MH434) which on the production pages proved to be an LF IX - I did find a couple of LF IXb references in these pages (obviously errors) (MK632 and Mk415). I also found a number of sites containing references to LF IXbs which turned out to be LF IXs probably as a result of LF IXs being unofficially known as IXbs. Another one bites the dust John this is discussed on the Spitfire Site http://spitfiresite.com/2010/04/spitfire-mk-ix-xi-and-xvi-variants-much-varied.html Quote More rarely seen are the suffixes A and B. These have caused some confusion, as these letters in earlier Spitfire marks define eight-gun and two drum-fed cannon and four machine gun armament configurations, respectively. It would seem that the designations IXA / IXB were used ad-hoc by the RAF units during the early part of the Mk. IX’s operational career, to distinguish the low-altitude-optimized Merlin 66-equipped LF IX (called Mk. IX B )  from the initial Merlin 61/63/63a-equipped F IX (called Mk. IX A). These designations are sometimes seen in pilot’s log books, squadron Operational Record Books, etc. Note capitalisation and gap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevej60 Posted July 22, 2015 Share Posted July 22, 2015 Hi folk,s does anyone do a conversion set suitable for Airfix's new tool Spitfire for the prototype?,I know decal's are available. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sky Pilot Posted July 22, 2015 Share Posted July 22, 2015 Could anyone advise me if there were ever any Spitfire Vbs that were clipped wing - not "LF" - not tropicalized - camouflaged for ETO. I've spent many happy (?) hours searching for such a bird. If one should turn up I suspect that suitable decals will be a problem necessitating my building them up from various sources. It goes without saying that any advice will be greatly appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gingerbob Posted July 22, 2015 Share Posted July 22, 2015 Sure, as I recall it was the AFDU that experimented with removing the wingtips, so the aircraft they were trying it on would have most likely been standard "Northern Europe" Mk.Vbs. bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giorgio N Posted July 23, 2015 Share Posted July 23, 2015 Could anyone advise me if there were ever any Spitfire Vbs that were clipped wing - not "LF" - not tropicalized - camouflaged for ETO. I've spent many happy (?) hours searching for such a bird. If one should turn up I suspect that suitable decals will be a problem necessitating my building them up from various sources. It goes without saying that any advice will be greatly appreciated. Is there any particular reason why you don't want an LF aircraft ? One clipped wing Mk.Vb I'd like to build one day is BL591 while serving with 277 Sqn. for ASR duties in 1944. This had a Merlin 45M, therefore should be an LF, however externally it does not differ from any other non LF Spitfire, having standard fishtail exhausts. Wings were clipped and the scheme was standard DFS, with invasion stripes below the fuselage and yellow codes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Boak Posted July 23, 2015 Share Posted July 23, 2015 (edited) The LF Mk.Vs looked identical to the F Mk.Vs, the change in designation bringing no external change. The late appearance of 6-a-side exhausts is apparently a sign of the Merlin 55M, but most LF Mk.Vs had the Merlin 45M or 50M with the 3-a-side fishtails. Also commonly seen on the LF Mk.Vb were the strengthening strakes above the wheel well, but this was a modification appropriate to all early marks - it just happens that the ones most commonly seen after the introduction tend to be LF Mk.Vs rather than older aircraft in OCUs or hack roles. Edited July 23, 2015 by Graham Boak 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sky Pilot Posted July 23, 2015 Share Posted July 23, 2015 Sure, as I recall it was the AFDU that experimented with removing the wingtips, so the aircraft they were trying it on would have most likely been standard "Northern Europe" Mk.Vbs. bob I think I have found one of the, allegedly, two, Vbs used by AFDU (AA937 AF-O) for performance trials with clipped wings. The production pages show AA937 as being an M45 powered Vb although the blurb has a reference to LFVB - M45 would not be the correct engine for an LF. I assume that the LF reference is attributable to the, then, misconception that clipped wing a/c were LF. The reason for me wanting a clipped wing (F) Vb is that I'm trying to build as many different Spits as I can. I've already got an clipped wing LFVb. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wellsprop Posted July 23, 2015 Share Posted July 23, 2015 AFAIK IXb specifies the Merlin 66 engine... I have fallen foul to believing this was the wing type *doh* Ben Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edgar Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 There's also this one; note that, late in the war, the clipped wingtip still retained its navigation lamps; early clipped tips (as on AA937) were carved from wood, and had no lights:- 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Watcher Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 Edgar, Just out of idle curiosity (and forgive me if I have missed it above) what's the significance of the bar above the T? M Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Troy Smith Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 Edgar, Just out of idle curiosity (and forgive me if I have missed it above) what's the significance of the bar above the T? M Not Edgar but, the use of a bar above a letter, also a 2 like the famous 'Mike Squared' PM-M2 Lancaster was if two aircraft had the same letter in unit to distinguish between them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Headroom Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 Not Edgar but, the use of a bar above a letter, also a 2 like the famous 'Mike Squared' PM-M2 Lancaster was if two aircraft had the same letter in unit to distinguish between them. As Troy said. The illustrated aircraft would probably have been referred to as 'T Bar'. Trevor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giorgio N Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 The bar above the last of the code seems to be common with ASR squadrons. Wonder if it's related to the presence of flights operating different types within the same squadron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sky Pilot Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 Edgar Many, many thanks for the image of AB981 - just what I needed. IMHO you deserve a Blue Peter badge Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sky Pilot Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 On which version of the Spitfire did the Narrow Wing (Cannon) Bulge first appear ? Was it the late production Vcs ? TIA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edgar Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 It's impossible to say; A.C.A.S gave permission to the Civilian Repair Depots to fit the narrow blister to the V, VIII & IX on 25-6-42, and the RAF shows it as being fitted from 9-11-42. Supermarine reckoned that they didn't fit it, on the production line, until 7-1-44. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gingerbob Posted July 25, 2015 Share Posted July 25, 2015 On which version of the Spitfire did the Narrow Wing (Cannon) Bulge first appear ? Was it the late production Vcs ? Probably Mk.VII, if you mean production versions. bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Watcher Posted July 26, 2015 Share Posted July 26, 2015 Not Edgar but, the use of a bar above a letter, also a 2 like the famous 'Mike Squared' PM-M2 Lancaster was if two aircraft had the same letter in unit to distinguish between them. Thank you Troy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Cornes Posted July 27, 2015 Share Posted July 27, 2015 I am probably being lazy here but can someone explain to me the purpose of the oval panel in the left side of the canopy? It can't be a clear vision panel, unless the aircraft is crabbing to land and you might as well open the canopy. It can't be an escape panel because it is too small. I'm intrigued! Thanks Simon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Kunac-Tabinor Posted July 27, 2015 Share Posted July 27, 2015 I am probably being lazy here but can someone explain to me the purpose of the oval panel in the left side of the canopy? It can't be a clear vision panel, unless the aircraft is crabbing to land and you might as well open the canopy. It can't be an escape panel because it is too small. I'm intrigued! Thanks Simon Just a thought - was it to allow the air pressure to equalise in the cockpit so that the hood could be opened? That's a guess BTW - not a fact. Jonners - wondering what the real reason is too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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